The sermons of M. John Calvin, upon the Epistle of S. Paul too the…The sermons of M. Iohn Caluin, vpon the Epistle of S. Paule too the…

For the blood of brute beasts could not scour away their spots, nor set them in Gods favour. Therefore it stood them on hand too resort too Jesus Christ. And that is the cause why S. Paul showeth, that the Jews ought not too too be so puffed up with pride, as too shut the heathen out of the doors, as though they were not worthy too be of Gods Church. For Jesus Christ is the mediator as well of the one as of the other, unto God his father. In so much, that without him, all of us are shut out from the hope of salvation. No man then ought too despise his neighbour in this case, nor too look over the shoulder at him, as the proverb sayeth. But we ought too embrace one another in •rew unity of faith and love, knowing that everyone of us from the greatest too the least, should rightfully be cut of from Gods Church, but that he of his own mere goodness gathereth us too him. After the same manner doth S. James exhort the great men of this world too glory in their smallness,¹ because God hath taken away the blindfolding that letted them too know their own wretchedness. For we know that men do wilfully abuse their greatness, and believe them selves too be marvellous wights, till they come too know God. Therefore the great men of this world have their eyes blindfolded, and that deceiveth them, and maketh them too take leave too do what they list. Now Saint James sayeth, that they have cause too glory of their smallness, for that our Lord discovereth them too be creatures out of all hope, as of themselves, and yet nevertheless taketh them into his favour of his own mercy. And let the little ones (sayeth he) rejoice in their nobility, because God hath exalted them: insomuch that whereas they were but as wretched worms, and had nothing but reproach in them, God hath taken them up, and made them new creatures. Ye see then that the means too unite us as we ought too be, is, that every of us in his degree acknowledge himself too be in a wretched and miserable plight: an• that when he hath yielded all too Gods mere mercy, he acknowledge that the same is spread over all at this day, and that it is not for us too stint or too bridle him, but inasmuch as he hath chosen us, it is our dew•ie too receive those into our fellowship, whom he hath set in the same array and company with us.

For the blud of brute beasts could not scoure away their spottes, nor set them in Gods fauour. Therefore it stoode them on hand too resort too Iesus Christ. And that is the cause why S. Paule sheweth, that the Iewes ought not too too bee so puffed vp with pryde, as too shet the heathen out of the doores, as though they were not woorthie too bee of Gods Church. For Iesus Christ is the mediator as well of the one as of the other, vntoo God his father. In so much, that without him, all of vs are shet out from the hope of saluation. No man then ought too despyze his neyghbour in this cace, nor too looke ouer the shoulder at him, as the prouerb sayeth. But wee ought too imbrace one another in rew vnitie of fayth and loue, knowyng that euerychone of vs from the greatest too the least, should ryghtfully bee cutte of from Gods Church, but that he of his owne mere goodnesse gathereth vs too him. After the same maner dooth S. Iames exhort the great men of this world too glory in their smalnesse,